About to buy a 5.45 Saiga instead of AR

[regal]

I've got a an AK-74 side folder (SAR-2 Aims-74 clone) and an AK-47 Underfolder (polish clone.) Both nice rifles but not ergonomically set up to shoot well past 75 yards.

So I have been seriously considering a 20" AR with a scope for longer range work. The reports I'm seeing is even the best models are around 2" MOA with anything but expensive match ammo.

With $120/1000 russian ammo a Saiga 5.45x39 is a 2" MOA gun. I already have quite a bit of this ammo. I can convert the back half for around $100 and I can even buy a new forearm with rails. A siderail scope mount is $50. I can thread it for 1/2x28 and it will accept any AR break. So $600 max plus ammo at 1/4 the price.

As much as I have always wanted an AR it just doesn't make any economic sense for me to buy one.

The intended use is range toy and hopefully never but possibly go to SHTF rifle.

Figured I'd ask opinion here before I break out the credit card.

[beefcakeb0]

Good luck finding them unconverted.

[PhilaShooter]

I've got a an AK-74 side folder (SAR-2 Aims-74 clone) and an AK-47 Underfolder (polish clone.) Both nice rifles but not ergonomically set up to shoot well past 75 yards.

So I have been seriously considering a 20" AR with a scope for longer range work. The reports I'm seeing is even the best models are around 2" MOA with anything but expensive match ammo.

With $120/1000 russian ammo a Saiga 5.45x39 is a 2" MOA gun. I already have quite a bit of this ammo. I can convert the back half for around $100 and I can even buy a new forearm with rails. A siderail scope mount is $50. I can thread it for 1/2x28 and it will accept any AR break. So $600 max plus ammo at 1/4 the price.

As much as I have always wanted an AR it just doesn't make any economic sense for me to buy one.

The intended use is range toy and hopefully never but possibly go to SHTF rifle.

Figured I'd ask opinion here before I break out the credit card.

Well, first your AK could easily shoot past 75 yards...

I have a Polish Tantal in 5.45 that shoots what your looking for, awesome AK IMO. I love the finish too. They are cheap, IIRC around $450 @ Classic Arms.

Call Classic Arms I just bought a Saiga in 7.62 from them and at the time they had the 5.45's in as well. I know because I was originally going to buy one but then switched to the 7.62 instead....don't know why but just went with my gut. The 5.45 will be my next conversion though.

Hope this helps.


P.S. I also have a Stag Arms M16, the 20" barrel, it's a lefty, great rifle, got it for $700 couldn't resist for that price. Like you I wanted an AR just to have both the AK and AR. I love AK's though and contrary to what people say AK's can be very accurate if made to be.

[TJB63]

Why not go for the AR and then a 5.45 upper, Then you have the best of both world's in one gun. I realize the cost is more than a Saiga but over time it would probably pay off, especially if 5.56 ever comes down in price and 5.45surplus dries up.

Just a thought.

~TJB

[regal]

Why not go for the AR and then a 5.45 upper, Then you have the best of both world's in one gun. I realize the cost is more than a Saiga but over time it would probably pay off, especially if 5.56 ever comes down in price and 5.45surplus dries up.

Just a thought.

~TJB

How hard is it to swap barrels on an AR should I want to convert to .223 later on?

[PhilaShooter]

Why not go for the AR and then a 5.45 upper, Then you have the best of both world's in one gun. I realize the cost is more than a Saiga but over time it would probably pay off, especially if 5.56 ever comes down in price and 5.45surplus dries up.

Just a thought.

~TJB

+1 on ammo comment


I forgot to mention that, now I don't know the probability of this REALLY happening....but it definitly could....If the goverment Nazi's came out with an Ammo ban to stop importing ammo...........5.45 would become non-existent ! LOL well not really but there's not a whole lot of other ammo manufacturer's making it IIRC and the ones that are compared to the surplus stuff it's quiet expensive. This may never happen but it is a thought to chew on ya know.

Another point is at $125 per spam can, which is IIRC 1050 rounds ? You can buy 1 a month for like 15 months and you won't have to worry about 5.45 drying up !! For at least another 15 months right

[TJB63]

How hard is it to swap barrels on an AR should I want to convert to .223 later on?

About a 15 minute job with a $20 Barrel wrench. - Or over time you can just get another whole upper and just push out 2 pins. I'm not sure, but I think the 5.45 would require a New Bolt and maybe a 5.45 AR Magazine. - Maybe somebody that owns one will chime in.

I was looking to go this route a few years back when I lucked into a cheap WASR2 - So I gave up on it.

~TJB

[PhilaShooter]

How hard is it to swap barrels on an AR should I want to convert to .223 later on?

EASY AS PIE....you would just buy a 5.45 upper and all it takes is pushing 2 pins out with a bullet to swap the uppers


EDIT: I just realized you asked about switching barrels.....I would suggest you just save up and buy a complete 5.45 upper. That is exactly what I am doing also. This way I will have an AR in .556 and 5.45, two AK's in 5.45 and two AK's in 7.62.....I would REALLY prefer having the AR in 5.45 and 7.62 instead of .556 but I haven't been able to find a 7.62 upper. From my understanding they are available just not plentiful, not sure tho.

[regal]

EASY AS PIE....you would just buy a 5.45 upper and all it takes is pushing 2 pins out with a bullet to swap the uppers


EDIT: I just realized you asked about switching barrels.....I would suggest you just save up and buy a complete 5.45 upper. That is exactly what I am doing also. This way I will have an AR in .556 and 5.45, two AK's in 5.45 and two AK's in 7.62.....I would REALLY prefer having the AR in 5.45 and 7.62 instead of .556 but I haven't been able to find a 7.62 upper. From my understanding they are available just not plentiful, not sure tho.

Gets expensive. Although that would be a nice setup could probably buy a .223 Saiga for the cost of the extra upper.

If I did my own reloading I'd get an AR, but I stockpile surplus ammo and the advantages of an AR just aren't there with surplus ammo from what I've seen.

[PhilaShooter]

Gets expensive. Although that would be a nice setup could probably buy a .223 Saiga for the cost of the extra upper.

If I did my own reloading I'd get an AR, but I stockpile surplus ammo and the advantages of an AR just aren't there with surplus ammo from what I've seen.

Ohh yea definitly I agree. I was saying that because you were saying you always wanted to get an AR and figured if you did that would be a good way to go where you could use surplus ammo ya know.

Trust me, that's why I have 2 AK's in 7.62 and will have 2 in 5.45 shortly getting the 2nd one in a couple weeks hopefully.

I got the AR because you can get some really good surplus 5.56 actually, the M855 or SS109 stuff is great for penetrating and the M995 is also great surplus ammo....highly effective ammo from what I have heard, and not that bad for the price.

Because of this I have actually been thinking of getting another Saiga in .223...but there's a diffrence between .223 and 5.56....slight diffrence but some say using 5.56 ammo in a rifle chambered in .223 is not good, and can mess the rifle up. For this reason I will probably not get the Saiga, instead I may just buy a 14.5" AR upper with a perm. attached muzzle device, I have a 20" AR right now.

In case you didn't realize I like to have 2 of everything in case one goes bad I can salvage parts and still use the ammo. After I finish my current Saiga project and get either the 5.45 saiga of the 14.5" AR upper I will only be buying ammo from then on out....that's my plan anyway...I'm a sucker for firearms LOL